Nuts have taken on a special significance to me since going vegan. Each one has come to serve a special purpose in my diet – peanuts to top soups and salads, almonds to make milk, macadamia to make cheese, pecans to make crusts and cashews to make ricotta and cream sauce. There are dozens of variations from milks to creams, soft cheeses to dips – nuts are a vegan’s best friend…especially one that misses her havarti and muenster cheeses.

For cream sauce, all you’re looking to do is combine the cashews with wate then add seasoning to your desired taste. Note that you can add things like agave nectar and cinnamon for sweet sauces. I served this as a vegetable pasta sauce.

What you need

• 1/2 cup cashews
• 1/2 cup hot water
• 1 tbsp braggs amino acid
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• salt to taste

How to make it

Simply pour cashews into a blender or food processor and pulse til cashews are mostly in pieces. Slowly pour in water while blending on high. Add braggs and lemon juice. Examine thickness and taste. Add salt to taste. Add cashews or water to desired thickness.